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In the field of [[Cosmology]], '''cosmic inflation''' is a theory which posits that in the first 10^-35 of a second after the [[Big Bang]], the universe underwent a period of rapid, exponential [[inflation]], with it increasing in size by a factor of at least 10²⁶. It was first proposed by [[Alan Guth]] of [[MIT]], in 1981. The theory accounts for many objections to the Big Bang model. <ref>http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/24768</ref> <ref>http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000045</ref>

In the field of [[Cosmology]], '''cosmic inflation''' is a theory which posits that in the first 10^-35 of a second after the [[Big Bang]], the universe underwent a period of rapid, exponential [[inflation]], with it increasing in size by a factor of at least 10²⁶, or ''"to essentially arbitrarily large universe"''<ref name="Filippenko"/>, i.e. at miraculous rate much faster than the currently measured [[speed of light]].<ref name="DismantlingBB"/> It was first proposed by [[Alan Guth]] of [[MIT]], in 1981, who declared, in line with tenets of [[postmodern science]], to explore ''"the question of whether it is in principle possible to ignite inflation in a hypothetical laboratory, thereby creating a new universe"''<ref name="Guth">{{cite web|title=Faculty Directory: Alan Guth, Victor F. Weisskopf Professor of Physics|publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Physics|accessdate=03.03.2013|url=http://web.mit.edu/physics/people/faculty/guth_alan.html|quote=}}</ref>. The theory, described by [[Alexei Filippenko|Alexei V. Filippenko]] as ''"seductively powerful"''<ref name="Filippenko">{{cite web |title=Alex on the Frontiers of Astronomy 4 Our Universe One of many|date=September 24, 2013 |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY57qWPwMgc|accessdate=October 31, 2013|quote=[06min:00sec]The standard Big Bang theory has no natural explanation for why the energy density of the universe should be exactly this critical value such as that the energy density of the universe divided by the critical value is exactly the unity. It’s an arbitrary thing in a Big Bang -it could have been anything. ... The theory is seductively powerful ...

And then universe went through gigantic exponential expansion that took it from a microscopically tiny size-scales to essentially arbitrarily large universe.}}</ref>, tries to account for several objections to the [[Big Bang theory|Big Bang model]]<ref>http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/print/24768</ref><ref>http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/cms/?pid=1000045</ref>, in order to preserve the illusion that this model explains the origin of the [[universe]]<ref name="DismantlingBB"/>. [[John Hartnett|J.Hartnett]] calls Cosmic Inflation theory an ad hoc assumption rather than specification of a causal mechanism, introduced by Big Bang theorists as a result of three-fold need<ref name="DismantlingBB">{{cite book|author=Alex Williams, John Hartnett|title=Dismantling the Big Bang|publisher=Master Books|location=Green Forest, AR, USA|year=2005|page=101|pages=121-125, 130-131, 145|isbn=978-0-89051-437-5|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=FR7basoxkSwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=hartnett+dismantling+the+big+bang&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JvNwT_6nJJOP4gTP6fG_Ag&sqi=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=hartnett%20dismantling%20the%20big%20bang&f=false}}</ref>:

=Problems with the Big Bang model=

=Problems with the Big Bang model=

==The Flatness problem==

==The Flatness problem==

The [[critical density]] of the universe is the density at which the universe's rate of expansion will slow down, and eventually reach a rate of zero, as the age of the universe becomes very, very large. Densities above or below this would lead to the universe eventually collapsing back on itself during to gravity, or expanding at an every increasing rate, respectively. <ref name="darling">http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/critical_density.html</ref>Today's best estimates of the universe's density place it staggeringly close to the critical density - the universe is described as being almost "flat", since the shape of the universe's geometry is decided by its density - hence the name of ''the flatness problem''. If the universe's density is extrapolated back until just after the [[Big Bang]], it is found to be exceedingly close to 1 - given that it can take any value, this value leading to a perfectly "flat" universe seems unlikely to have been chosen at random. <ref name="darling" />

The [[critical density]] of the universe is the density at which the universe's rate of expansion will slow down, and eventually reach a rate of zero, as the age of the universe becomes very, very large. Densities above or below this would lead to the universe eventually collapsing back on itself during to gravity, or expanding at an every increasing rate, respectively. <ref name="darling">http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/critical_density.html</ref>Today's best estimates of the universe's density place it staggeringly close to the critical density - the universe is described as being almost "flat", since the shape of the universe's geometry is decided by its density - hence the name of ''the flatness problem''. If the universe's density is extrapolated back until just after the [[Big Bang]], it is found to be exceedingly close to 1 - given that it can take any value, this value leading to a perfectly "flat" universe seems unlikely to have been chosen at random. <ref name="darling"/>

The explanation offered by cosmic inflation is that the period of exponential expansion which occurred essentially "ironed out" any small creases in the early universe, leading to the visible universe's shape being flat.

The explanation offered by cosmic inflation is that the period of exponential expansion which occurred essentially "ironed out" any small creases in the early universe, leading to the visible universe's shape being flat.